Just as the Commercial Appeal says in an editorial today, "The Tennessee legislature’s Black Caucus would appreciate a spotlight on its positive side, and that’s only fair. The news until recently has been all bad."

It sounds like the caucus’ just completed annual retreat turned out to be a worthwhile event of participants–and for that, the Black Caucus deserves credit:

Reporters on the scene duly noted some of those efforts: 350 young people on hand and learning about their government through a slate of activities, including a mock student legislature, workshops on such topics as social services, criminal justice, health care, economic and community development and education.

Take a look at this comic write-up that is supposed to be an “accounting” document. It’s a joke. I couldn’t show up at a local Rotary Club meeting with something this lame!

It makes me completely sick that the Caucus is being applauded right now. Do the ends justify the means?

It’s really easy to do good things when you have used your political position to shake down contributors. It’s an insult to the many organizations who do similar charitable events for minorities by raising money and volunteers in a lawful, honest way. And charities by the way, who don’t skim the funds for personal expenditures as the Caucus has.

And how convenient to be able to suddenly claim the retreat is a “separate” entity.

Maybe all charities can claim their annual dinners/banquets/auctions/fundraisers aren’t really connected to their organization.